Grain gate



A. J. CANON Nov. 8, 1949 GRAIN GATE Filed June 18, 1948 Patented Nov. 8, 1.949

GRAIN GATE Andrew Jackson Canon, Merkel, Tex., assigner to J. Deward Bradley, Merkel, Tex.

Application June 118, 1948, Serial No. 33,691

lV Claims.

My invention relates to grain gates for use in grain elevators or buildings forv elevating, storing, discharging and sometimes processing grain, and particularly in the elevating conveyors embodying a chute, trough or channel-like structure in and along which the grain is conveyed or moved as by means of a screw, and an object thereof is to provide means whereby the grain propelled along and through the chute may be discharged at a point in the extent or length thereof into a vehicle, grain wagon, railway grain car, for packaging in containers, barrels, sacks, for processing or for any other purpose.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and simple grain gate associated with the chute or trough and interposed in the length thereof to control the discharge thereof and prevent the sagging of the gate proper when. the chute is closed off thereby to avoid leaving a low place or area in the chute .by maintaining the gate up in line.

The invention also comprehends a grain gate in which as many gates as desired may be provided at a plurality of points in the length of. or

along the chute without having the bottom of the conveyor out of line or sagging at such points to interfere with the conveyance of the grain or. permitA leakage.

Another object is t0 construct the gate in a simple, novel and inexpensive manner to render the same efficient in use and capable of easy control. to normally close the gate and to open the same when desired at the will of the operator without getting out of order while permitting convenient assembly 0r disassembly and removal of all the partsv thereof and consequently expeditious repair or replacement of parts of the gate when. necessary under unusual instances or when. occasion arises.

Afurther object is to provide means in the form of a latch for limiting the movements of the gate to open and closed positions and to prevent movement thereof Awhen in such positions, spring means normally holding the gate closed, means for opening the gate-to any desired degree or fully open position, as well as means for supporting the gate for movement to and in open and closed positions and guiding the same in such movements and positions.

A still further object is to provide a means or latch for holding or wedging the gate in open position and stops for limiting the movements in` either direction in open or closedv positions.

To the foregoing objects, and' others which may hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and' Jil) arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referredto and illustrated in the accompanying, drawings, but it is tobe understood that changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as.` claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a vertical sectional side elevation of a grain elevator with a grain gate embodying m-y invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section taken on the. staggered section line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary bottom view.

Referring to the drawing, the parts are constructed of suitable sheet metal such as galvanized iron or otherwise, in which I0 designates the grain conveyor adapted to be installed in a grain elevator or the like, or otherwise, including a concavo-convex chute, trough or channel-like. structure II in which a screw I2 driven in the usual or any suitable manner operates to convey the grain along the chute or trough I I with screw I2 operating in the oval or semi-circular lower part thereof with its periphery tangential to and between the spaced parallel upwardly directed spaced parallel vertical sides. I3 of the chute. The sides I3 of the chute II are provided at the top vedges with outwardly directed flanges I4 shown as comprising right-angle strips having vertically depending inner flanges or sides, riveted, spot welded, bolted or otherwise secured to the outer faces of the sides I3 as at I5 and provided along the outwardly directed top flanges or sides with a plurality of spaced bolts I6 for at tachment of the cover of the usual conveyor (not shown).

Also secured to the outer faces of the sides I3 in spaced parallel relation beneath angle strips or flanges I4 are wider angle strips I'I, as at I8, in the same manner as angle strips or anges I4 are secured but preferably with bolts at the ends, all of said strips being above the center axis of trough or chute II- and shaft I9 of screw I2. Outwardly of opposite sides horizontally in line. or in the same horizontal plane with the center axis of chute II and shaft I9 are guideways or tracks 20 shown as formed by bending the lower edge portions of the strips I1 in reverted fashion horizontally outwardly at the top, downwardly at the outside,` and inwardly at the bottom with nar-V rower portions to the vertical plane in line with the outer faces of the strips I'l in spaced parallel relation to the top portions to form inwardly facing grooves or channels of the guideways or tracks 20' as at 2|'.

The bottom of the chute at the curved portion is provided at one or more points where the gate or valve is to be provided with a discharge opening 22 which as shown may be square or transverse and straight at one end perpendicular to the axis and longitudinal side edges thereof, and curved concavely or tapered at the opposite end. A semi-circular gate or closure proper 23 of the same cross-sectional shape as the bottom of the chute or trough I| has outwardly directed longitudinal side flanges 24 slidably engaged inn in a similar manner and correspondingly numgrooves 2| and is positioned against the bottomY thereof and so correlated to opening 22 to move or slide to open and closed positions longitudinally beneath said opening to uncover and cover the same to permit or shut off the discharge of grain therethrough.

Gate 23 overlaps the chute or trough Il at the ends of the opening 22 and, of course, extends above the side edges thereof so as to cut oil` said opening when cl-osed to the right as shown in Figure 1 and when moved to the left will uncover said opening. It is held in a normally closed position by resilient means shown as coil springs 25- anchored to offset angular lugs 26 riveted or welded to the sides of the gate 23 at the end remote from the curved edge of 'the opening 22 and having their opposite ends anchored Yin hooks or lugs 2l attached to or struck` from the'y rebent inwardly extending bottom portions of the guideways 20beyond the remote end of the gate 23 so that .the springs normally move kthe gate to closed position under the opening 22. Also, the springs are preferably slightly inclined so as to draw upwardly on the gate to assist'in maintaining it against the chute and in connecfy tion with the slide mounting of the gate to pre# vent sagging of the latter in open or closed position.

Angular vertical webs or spacers 28 are Vconnected to the sides i3 and strips i4 andll at the vertical portions or flanges of the latter above the guideways 29 and also reinforce and strengthen the latter. Spacers or Webs 28 have oppositely directed vertical edge flanges secured to strips |4 and i' at the inside and have side plates 29 secured thereto at the outside in spaced parallel relation outwardly of theguideways 2f) and 'sides I3. These sides or Vside plates have inwardly directed top flanges 33 which may be secured to the flanges of strips I4 and by thel fastening means l designed for attachment of the cover of the chute of the conveyor. the plates 29 to the outer ilanges of the webs 28 may be by means of rivets, bolts or spot welding as indicated at 3| and the webs 28 act as shields to the guides in which the gate works.` o

It should also be noted from Figure l of the drawings that the side plates 29 taper downwardly with the front edges at a relatively sharp angle slightly off vertical toward the oppositeY end of the opening 22 as indicated at 32 and the opposite edges at a morergradual incline `of substantially 45 as indicated at 33. i Y Y Transverse plates 54 and 35 are disposed between the side plates 29 at the edges, 32 and 33 to form a spout 3G constricted toward the bottom or outlet opening 31. As shown, plates 34 and 35 forming the ends of the spout or hopper are pro-Y vided with inwardly directed right-angularside anges 38 bolted, riveted, welded or. otherwise secured as indicated at 39 to the sides l29, and the spout is designed to discharge into any suitable receiver and, preferably, its transverse dimension The attachment of v bered. The inner end of the bar 43 carries a tapered block, abutment or button 44 having a beveled front edge designed to engage the stop 42 and limit the closing movement of the gate 23. The opposite end of the bar or strip 43 extends beyond the gate 23 and has riveted to it an extension bar or strip 45 as indicated at 46 with its end spaced from the bottom of the chute or trough and adapted for connection with the pull chain, rod or 'the like 4`| as byffmean's ofia ring or eye 48 by which the gate may be opened to uncover the opening 22 against the actioniiof the springs 25 which normally hold thev gateclosed. f The bar or strip 45 is formed at its inner' end with an angularly offset bentV portion49 against the bottom face of the bar or strip 43 to form a stop or shoulder,'and a notch or shoulder 50 is formed in the upper edge of the wall 3.5 or verticalv portion thereof attached to the sides29. A bar o1 strip 5| forming a latch is bolted centrally and longitudinally to the wall 35 as indicated at 52, preferably using wing nuts and with the bar 5| in line with the bars or strips 43 and 45.

into the notch 59 beneath the end 49 of bar 45 as indicated at 53 so as to limit theclosingniove ment of the gate 23 by engagement of the 'end`f49l therewith. However, the gate may be opened by pulling on the connection 41 and moving the end 49 away from the end 53 and the abutment 44 away from the stopr42, but the opening movement is limited by engagement of the abutment 44 with the end 53.

It shouldbe noted that when the gate is opened the stop 49 isunlatched from underthe bar or latch 5| and, with the gate partiallyY open, the abutment or knob V44|V is moved awayV from the stop 42 also that the gateV or valveis arranged,

for slidable movement over the end 53 ofjbarj5|` and is of such length as to effect pivoting across" of operation the gatemay be opened and held at any desired position betwenopen and closedV positions, to regulate the size ofthe dischan'geV opening uncovered by the gate and thespeed at which the grain is discharged through the spout.v

from the hopper beneath the ychute and gate and thus the discharge opening 22. The gate 23 re-. turns to closed position underv the'urge of .springs 25 when the grain ceasesrto flow..Y The; degree ofA opening also depends upon thesize.oithex'zon-YV tainer or .receptacle into which v`the grain is a1- lowedl to be discharged andfed. By removing. the

wing nuts of the bolts .52, the bar vmay-be removed @f llolgl i9. 0.1.1? sie@ merger the# meseta-war The upper end of the bar 5| 'is di rected upwardly substantially at right angles' The weight of said grain isY sufficient be more easily opened and access had to the parts for repairs or replacement should occasion arise.

By reason of the construction of the gate and limiting means as Well as the guiding and supporting means for the gate, the contents ci the chute may be diverted to the desired place and when the gate is closed, it cannot sag or leave a low place in the chute into which the grain might be wedged to interfere With the movement of the gate or the movement of the grain along the chute since the bottom of the conveyor chute will not be sagging out of line with the bottom of the chute at the gate at points where the discharge openings 22 are provided. Mere removal of the Wing nuts permits removal of the parts of the latch and bars or strips connected to the gate in the event of injury or necessity for repair. The slopes of the hopper or spout and discharge opening under the gate will necessarily be in proportion to the size of the conveyor chute or trough end of the gate.

I claim:

1. In a grain gate, a conveyor having a chute with an opening therein, a gate correlated to the opening to move to open and closed positions, means for moving the gate to an open position, and a spring means urging the gate to a closed position, movement control means comprised of a bearing member positioned under the gate for frictional engagement therewith in response to the Weight of grain passing through said gate to irictionally restrain said gate in any intermediate open position to prevent closing thereof.

2. In a grain gate, a chute having a discharge opening, a gate slidable against the chute to cover and uncover the opening, means normally holding the gate in closed position to cover the opening, means for limiting the movement of the gate to open and closed positions, means for opening the gate, and means comprised of a fixed bearing member positioned under the gate to frictionally engage therewith, with said gate held in an open position due to the weight of grain bearing thereagainst so as to frictionally restrain 6 said gate against movement in any intermediate open position.

3. in a grain gate, a conveyor comprising a chute in the form of a trough, means for moving j l along the chute, said trough having a disopening, guidevvays at the sides of the tro a gate having flanges slidable in the guideways, a hopper having a discharge spout and secured to the sides of the chute and having inclined end walls, spring means anchored at one end and connected to the gate at the opposite end to normally hold the gate closed, a stop on the trough at one end of the opening, an abutment on the gate to engage the stop to limit the closing movement of the gate, means connected to the gate to open the same, and means on the spout comprised of a xed member spaced from the trough, having an upper surface positioned for engagement with the gate when said gate is placed in an open position and weighed down by grain against the urge of the closing spring means.

4. In a grain gate, a conveyor having a chute with an opening therein, a gate correlated to the opening to move to open and closed positions, means extending between the gate and chute urging the gate to a closed position, a bearing member positioned under the gate for frictienal engagement therewith under Weight of grain passing therethrough to frictonally restrain the gate and normally hold it in an intermediate open position.

ANDREW JACKSON CANON.

REFERENCES CITED rThe following references are of record in the le oi this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 275,153 Craik Apr. 3, 1883 311,052 Anderson Jan. 20, 1885 489,289 Dodge Jan. 3, 1893 1,574,751 Barker Mar. 2, 1926 

